Teaching: Raise Your Hand

1. Teaching: Raise Your Hand Many teachers have to tell students repeatedly, “You must Raise Your Hand and be called on before you speak. You must Raise Your Hand and be called on before you speak.” Try modeling the Raise Your Hand gesture while asking a question, so that students are reminded to Raise their Hands and you can save your voice and your energy. Once your students seem to have the idea, you might want to just ask questions without the gesture, but if a student does “blurt out”, simply cover your mouth with your finger and Raise Your Hand as a reminder. Believe me, this skill works like magic, And the best part is that the teacher is not the bad guy, and relationship is preserved. Give Raise Your Hand a try. If you work ENVoY, ENVoY works! If you would like me to model this skill for you, please let me know. Raise Your Hand amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

2. Transition to Seatwork: MITS After giving Exit Directions and answering questions about Directions, stand at High Expectations. Make sure you scan the room with your eyes. Wait 20 seconds before moving. This is a very effective ENVoY skill that allows you to be sure that all students are on task right from the beginning of seatwork. It sets a peaceful, productive tone for the seatwork period, and tells the students that seatwork is important to the teacher. If you would like me to demonstrate this skill for you please let me know. I guarantee that once you try this skill you will love it and use it before every seatwork period, no matter how long it is. If you work ENVoY, ENVoY works!! amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Wait 20 seconds before you move. Most Important Twenty Seconds Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additionalcomments on the back)

3. Getting Their Attention: The Pause Have you ever been watching a movie, and then someone comes into the living room with a long story to tell or with some big news that can’t wait? What is the first thing you do? Hit pause on the remote, right? Because you can’t do two things at once, and neither can your students. If you are trying to talk over your students, two things are happening: you are talking louder and then they are talking louder too. No one can talk and listen at the same time. Try the pause. Stand at the front of your classroom (perfectly straight and still, maybe even put your hand to your chest to indicate – “my turn”) and wait for everyone to get quiet before speaking again. When you do start speaking again, use the softest voice possible. This lowers the students’ energy level, and helps create a peaceful, productive classroom. The Pause is also effective when the teacher needs to emphasize a particular sentence or phrase in the lesson. Try pausing before essential facts in a lesson or lecture. Students will remember faster and retain the information longer!! If you would like me to demonstrate this skill for you, please let me know. If you work ENVoY, ENVoY works! The Pause amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back.)

4. The Four Phases of Teaching: The Seven Gems ENVoY’s Seven Gems are more than helpful hints. They are a pattern of management for the whole day. Class time flows through 4 phases during each school day: Getting your students’ attention, Teaching, Transition to seatwork, and Seatwork. ENVoY is like the guide that leads students through all of these phases. Any time you need to get your students’ attention use #1 (Stand perfectly still, with hands at your side or with elbows bent), and #2 (In a louder voice use a word or short phrase to get attention, then pause, then whisper the next 5 or 6 words, then keep voice volume low as you continue.) While teaching throughout the day use #3 (Teacher models Raise Your Hand and says, “Raise your hand if you know…” Eventually teacher models but does not need to say, “Raise your hand.”) All day long, anytime you need to make a transition from one subject to another or from discussion to seatwork, any transition period, use #4 (Directions for exactly what to do written on the board so that students can become independent learners. Use visuals for even better results.) and #5 (After reading the exit directions, teacher asks if anyone has questions. After answering all of the questions, teacher stands perfectly still in her MITS spot and waits 20 seconds, silently monitoring the students to make sure everyone is on task.) During seatwork use #6 and #7 (When a student is off task, approach from the side, point to work, no eye contact, remain with student until he is breathing and has begun working again.) *Always avoid eye contact and getting into a conversation when managing. The Seven Gems amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use any of these skills? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back.)

5. Beware of the Hooks of Escalation: When you have something positive to say to a student, look them right in the eye, because that improves relationship, and makes the student feel great about himself. But if you have to manage a student look at the problem, not him. For example: If he is out of his seat, stand at his seat, say his name, as soon as he looks toward you look down at the seat and motion for him to come to the seat. This preserves relationship, because once he sits down, you can pretend like it never happened. Talking is another booby trap when managing. If you look at a student and say, “You need to get quiet,” that student is likely to say: “I wasn’t talking” or “I was just……”. The point is don’t make eye contact and if the student tries to answer back, without looking at them put your hand out palm down toward them, with fingers together. Do not get into a verbal tennis match with this student! It takes two to keep an argument going, so don’t give an auditory student a chance to draw you in to one. I’d love to demonstrate how to avoid the “Hooks of Escalation” for you! If you work ENVoY, ENVoY works. Eye Contact and Verbal Confrontation amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher avoid the Hooks of Escalation? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back.)

6. Keep it Low Remember You Control The Volume In Your Classroom! Whether a teacher is in the front of the room teaching, or walking around helping students at seatwork, that teacher should always use the softest voice possible. When the teacher’s volume increases so does the energy level in the classroom. Students are more likely to talk and move around if the teacher speaks loudly. Use a soft voice and change the tone of your voice often. This helps students stayed focused and it also improves retention of the subject matter. Best of all, using a soft voice all day preserves the teacher’s energy! Also, when you actually do need to raise your voice, all of the students notice the difference. I’d love to demonstrate this ENVoY skill for you. amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Use only when needed! Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use the softest voice possible? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

7. Transition to Seatwork: Exit Directions After you have taught the lesson, and before you release students to seatwork, give specific instructions detailing exactly what is expected of students during seatwork. Use pictures and symbols for even better results. Once students see certain icons consistently, they will make quick distinctions regarding subject, text or workbook, and what to do when finished. Exit Directions give students a sense of independence, because they don’t have to keep asking the teacher if they forget what is expected. It is a real confidence builder. Make sure that after you have thoroughly gone over the Exit Directions, then ask if there are any questions. If the question has not been answered in the Exit Directions, add it to the listed directions. Exit Directions are for any transition period during class time. (They show students what to do after a test, seatwork, what to get out for the class that is about to begin, etc.) I’d love to demonstrate for you, what Exit Directions can do for any class and any age group. Page 10 1. Reading Workbook • Answer in complete sentences. • You have until 1:15 to complete this assignment. • When you are finished, tear out and place in the • red basket on the back shelf. • 5. Put your workbook under your desk. 6. Read your library book. 7. If you do not have a library book, get your journal and write about the things we saw on our field trip to Baton Rouge. You may illustrate. Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use Exit Directions? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

8. Use specific spots for specific phases of teaching. Question Spot: Use the same spot each time you ask, “Are there any questions?” When you are teaching and students raise their hands for questions, signal them to put their hands down. Now, to seem fair to them, go to your question spot at a convenient part of teaching several times during the lesson. Say, “I’ve seen a lot of hands go up. Are there any questions?” This way when you signal for hands down, students are more likely to comply because they know they will have a chance to ask their question. Eventually most students will wait for you to go to the question spot before raising their hand at all. Make sure you only allow questions, not comments and that the questions pertain to the subject matter. Teaching Spot: Use a specific spot each time you need to give the class information. This way students know that when the teacher is here, she is the only one talking and they are to listen. Get Attention Spot: Have one spot that you use only for getting attention. If students get out of order during any phase of teaching, the teacher should go to the attention spot, and use Above Pause Whisper. After getting familiar with these locations students will usually comply before you even say anything. If you would like me to demonstrate the use of location, just let me know. Location Holds Memory amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use specific spots for: teaching, questions, and getting the classes attention? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

9. Teachers love to help their students, but so often this leads to racing around the classroom from one student to the other during seatwork. And teachers want students to get as much out of a lesson as possible, so sometimes teachers find themselves racing through a lesson. The problem is that some students just can’t keep up with the pace of an eager teacher. A slow walking speed is essential to a productive learning environment. When the teacher uses a slow walking speed, the energy level of the whole classroom is lowered. The classroom has a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. In contrast, a quick walking speed raises the energy level and students tend to fidget in their seats and talk even more. Try a little experiment. Use a slow walking speed one day, and the next day, walk quickly; you will definitely see a difference, and even feel a difference in your classroom. Let me know how it goes. amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Slooooow Doooown! And your students will learn faster, and get more work done. Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use a slow walking speed and a slow talking voice? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

10. Getting Their Attention: Freeze Body Stand At High Expectations When a person’s toes are pointed ahead and weight is distributed evenly on both feet, the speaker is more credible, because both his verbal language and body language are saying the same thing, “I expect your attention.” Also, be sure that your arms are either at your side or bent at the elbow (e.g. holding a pen in one hand). Just standing this way can increase the likelihood that students will be attentive to the teacher. The front of the room is where most presentations or lectures take place. That is why students are more attentive when the teacher is there. So, being in the front of the classroom, standing at High Expectations gives the teacher a head start toward getting students to cooperate. Remember to use your attention spot. If you would like me to demonstrate this skill for you, please let me know. amandabertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this ENVoY skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

11. Seatwork: Mini MITS This is a shorter version of the Most Important 20 Seconds, sometimes called Mini MITS Mini MITS are used during seatwork and just like MITS, once you try it you will love it. The teacher does a Mini MITS between students that he is helping or managing. E.g. Teacher helps a students, then stands at High Expectations - right where he is, standing and silently looking around the classroom. If students are raising their hands or need managing, the teacher can non-verbally address these issues without disturbing the class. Of course some management issues require the teacher to walk slowly over to the student who is off task and use Off-Neutral-On. Mini MITS will make the teacher seem fair. This skill allows the teacher to be available to all of the class even during one-on-one and seatwork. If you would like me to demonstrate Mini MITS for you, please let me know. Stand and Scan every 60 – 90 Seconds amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this ENVoY skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

12. Seatwork: Off / Neutral / On When a student is off task, he is usually doing something that he is not supposed to be doing (talking, doodling, etc.) When the teacher approaches, the student goes into Neutral. He’s not doing what he is not supposed to be doing anymore, but he is not yet doing what he is supposed to be doing either. Off-Neutral-On is the way to get that student on task before walking away. First, the teacher should approach from the side, not the front. Then the teacher should look at the work. If the student tries to make eye contact, silently point to the desk or the work that should be getting done. In other words focus on the problem (the work is not getting done), not the student. If the student tries to talk to the teacher, then the teacher should hold out her hand in a stop gesture. Avoid making eye contact or verbal communication with off task students. The teacher should stay with the off task student until he is breathing and has begun truly working again, not just holding his pencil, or turning a page. By getting a student fully on task before walking away, the teacher is less likely to be right back at the same desk in a few seconds. This skill takes practice and patience, but is worth the trouble. A productive seatwork atmosphere helps lessen the homework load, and allows the teacher to gauge how well students can apply skills. Please let me know if you would like me to demonstrate Off-Neutral-On for you. Off /neutral /On Approach from the side Wait for breathing and work Off N On Walk away slowly amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this ENVoY skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

13. Transition to Seatwork: Exit Directions Visuals speak louder than words! When you are rushing to a public restroom and see one of these symbols, do you ever have need of reading the word woman or man? Of course not, because visuals help us to make quick distinctions in traffic, at the supermarket, at the movies, and all over the world. It is a most effective form of communication. Using visuals in the classroom helps students to understand more quickly what is expected of them. They also make instructions clearer to those students who struggle with words, and are more “hands-on” type of learners. Seeing the image makes the message more real to them. Try using visuals whenever you can in your Exit Directions, with vocabulary words, and class rules. Once these visual prompts are established your students become more independent, your instructions will be better understood, and your students will learn faster and remember longer. If you have any questions about using visuals in your classroom, please let me know. amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 337-945-8064 Date: Teacher: Did the teacher use this ENVoY skill? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)

14. Be Consistent Clock Your Consistency It is no fun getting stopped for speeding. So why do so many people break the speed limit anyway? The answer is probably that the odds are in their favor. For every 1 speeder who gets a ticket, there are probably more than 1000 who get away with it, and many people know how to get out of paying the fine anyway. That is why it is so important to be consistent and fair in the classroom. If a teacher allows 5 students to break a rule, and then reprimands the 6th student for doing so, the 6th student feels that he is being picked on. Of course other students think that it is worth the risk of breaking the rule because only 1 in 6 is called on it. By being consistent students perceive the teacher as fair, and soon learn exactly what is expected of them every day. Students also find it easier to comply with rules that seem to apply to everyone. And consistency makes it less tempting to break the rules. Be consistent with classroom rules and with the consequences for breaking them. Let me know if you see a difference. amandakbertrand@yahoo.com 337-945-8064 Date: Teacher: Was the teacher consistent in her/ his management? If yes explain. What was the response of the class? (Place additional comments on the back)